CH 7

Foyer

Building Nebraska and Civil Responsibility

Lesson 7 - Who's Who

The Nebraska Hall of Fame was created in 1961, and the state has been adding honored names ever since. Today, the Hall of Fame occupies more than one hallway. In addition to the busts displayed in the Foyer, there are more in the east and west hallways that lead from the Foyer. These busts are the work of many different artists.

Making the Choice

Nebraskans can suggest names of those they consider worthy of being in the Hall of Fame.

To choose who will get into the Hall of Fame, the governor appoints a Hall of Fame Commission that bestows the honor on outstanding individuals who:

were born in Nebraska, or

gained prominence while they lived in Nebraska, or

lived in Nebraska and were influenced by it, so that it contributed to their achievements.

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Choosing the Time

The commission started out by naming one person each year in its first
two years. After that, the commission nominated one person every two
years. In 1976, in honor of the U.S. Bicentennial, the commission named
four people.

Legislation passed in 1998 limits nominations to no more
than one person every five years, and states that a person can't be
considered for the Hall of Fame until 35 years after his or her death.

Medal of Honor winners are also inducted into the Hall of Fame if they served in Nebraska or are native Nebraskans or have been residents for at least two years before or after military service.

A plaque with the names of Nebraska’s Medal of Honor recipients can be found on the Capitol’s fourteenth floor, in the Memorial Chamber.

The people you see in the Hall of Fame helped build Nebraska and make real improvements to life in and beyond the state.

Visit the Hall of Fame to find out find about the people selected to be there.How many have you already heard about?

Go back to the Foyer and click on one of the bustsA bust is a statue that portrays only a person’s head and part of the upper body rather than the complete figure. to find out more about the Hall of Fame.